Continuous granulation system and method for obtaining conditioned granules

Abstract

A continuous granulation system for obtaining conditioned granules is disclosed. The system comprises a processor configured to produce a continuous flow of granules at an outlet of the processor. The system also comprises a collection chamber positioned downstream from the processor and configured to collect the granules from the outlet. Further, the system comprises an air displacement device coupled to the collection chamber and configured to create a unidirectional flow of air at the outlet in a direction of the granules exiting the processor and away from the outlet. The unidirectional flow of air conditions the granules obtained in the collection chamber. A continuous granulation method and a continuous granule collection system for obtaining the conditioned granules is also disclosed.

We claim: 
     
       1. A continuous granulation system for obtaining conditioned granules, comprising:
 a twin-screw processor configured to produce a continuous flow of granules at an outlet of the twin-screw processor; 
 a collection chamber positioned downstream from the twin-screw processor and configured to collect the granules from the outlet; and 
 an air displacement device coupled to the collection chamber and configured to create a unidirectional flow of air at the outlet in a direction of the granules exiting the twin-screw processor and away from the outlet, wherein the unidirectional flow of air conditions the granules obtained in the collection chamber, and wherein the collection chamber is positioned within the air displacement device. 
 
     
     
       2. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet includes a drying zone configured to continuously convey dried granules out of the twin-screw processor from the outlet. 
     
     
       3. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising:
 a coupler connected to the outlet of the twin-screw processor at one end and to the collection chamber or the air displacement device at another end. 
 
     
     
       4. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the coupler provides a hermetically sealed channel between the outlet and the collection chamber or the air displacement device. 
     
     
       5. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the air displacement device is configured to create a pressure difference between a fluid pressure inside the hermetically sealed channel and an atmospheric pressure outside the twin-screw processor as a result of the unidirectional flow of air. 
     
     
       6. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the air displacement device is configured to create a pressure difference between a fluid pressure inside the outlet of the twin-screw processor and an atmospheric pressure outside the twin-screw processor as a result of the unidirectional flow of air. 
     
     
       7. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the fluid pressure inside the outlet of the twin-screw processor is lower than the atmospheric pressure outside the twin-screw processor. 
     
     
       8. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the air displacement device comprises:
 an exhaust configured to continuously displace air from the collection chamber to an outside environment. 
 
     
     
       9. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the air displacement device is configured to generate the unidirectional flow of air from an inlet of the twin-screw processor to the exhaust of the air displacement device. 
     
     
       10. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 8 , comprising:
 a filter provided between the collection chamber and the air displacement device, wherein the filter is configured to contain the granules in the collection chamber and allow only the air from the collection chamber to be displaced to the outside environment via the exhaust. 
 
     
     
       11. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the twin-screw processor comprises one or more ducts to facilitate additional supply of air at the outlet from an outside environment into the twin-screw processor, the air displacement device being configured to displace the air entering the twin-screw processor via the one or more ducts in the direction of the unidirectional flow of air. 
     
     
       12. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the coupler comprises one or more ducts to facilitate additional supply of air to the granules exiting the outlet, the air displacement device being configured to displace the air entering the coupler via the one or more ducts in the direction of the unidirectional flow of air. 
     
     
       13. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 3 , comprising:
 an air control unit in communication with one or more ducts provided in the coupler or the twin-screw processor, wherein the air control unit is configured to provide the additional supply of air. 
 
     
     
       14. The continuous granulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the conditioned granules have loss of drying values within 0.5% to 3%. 
     
     
       15. A continuous granulation method for obtaining conditioned granules, comprising:
 introducing feed material at an inlet of a twin-screw processor; 
 processing, by the twin-screw processor, the feed material to produce a continuous flow of granules at an outlet of the twin-screw processor; 
 receiving the granules from the outlet in a collection chamber; and 
 creating a unidirectional flow of air at the outlet in a direction of the granules exiting the twin-screw processor and away from the outlet by means of an air displacement device, wherein the unidirectional flow of air conditions the granules obtained in the collection chamber, and wherein the collection chamber is positioned within the air displacement device. 
 
     
     
       16. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising:
 directing the granules from the outlet of the twin-screw processor to the collection chamber via a coupler. 
 
     
     
       17. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising:
 providing a hermetically sealed channel between the twin-screw processor and the collection chamber. 
 
     
     
       18. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the creating of the unidirectional flow of air comprises:
 creating a pressure difference between a fluid pressure inside the hermetically sealed channel and an atmospheric pressure outside the twin-screw processor. 
 
     
     
       19. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the creating of the unidirectional flow of air comprises:
 creating a pressure difference between a fluid pressure inside the outlet of the twin-screw processor and an atmospheric pressure outside the twin-screw processor. 
 
     
     
       20. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising:
 supplying air into the twin-screw processor via one or more ducts provided at the outlet. 
 
     
     
       21. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 16 , comprising:
 supplying the air to the coupler via one or more ducts provided in the coupler. 
 
     
     
       22. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising:
 displacing air from the collection chamber to an outside environment via an exhaust of the air displacement device. 
 
     
     
       23. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 22 , comprising:
 creating the unidirectional flow of air from the inlet of the twin-screw processor to the exhaust of the air displacement device. 
 
     
     
       24. The continuous granulation method as claimed in  claim 22 , comprising:
 containing the granules in the collection chamber by means of a filter provided between the collection chamber and the air displacement device; and 
 allowing only the air from the collection chamber to be displaced to the outside environment via the filter and the exhaust. 
 
     
     
       25. A continuous granule collection system for obtaining conditioned granules from a twin-screw processor comprising:
 a collection chamber positioned downstream from the twin-screw processor and configured to collect the granules from an outlet of the twin-screw processor; and 
 an air displacement device coupled to the collection chamber and configured to create a unidirectional flow of air at the outlet in a direction of the granules exiting the twin-screw processor and away from the outlet, wherein the unidirectional flow of air conditions the granules obtained in the collection chamber, and wherein the collection chamber is positioned within the air displacement device. 
 
     
     
       26. The continuous granule collection system as claimed in  claim 25 , comprising:
 a coupler connected to the outlet of the twin-screw processor at one end and to the collection chamber or the air displacement device at another end. 
 
     
     
       27. The continuous granule collection system as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the coupler provides a hermetically sealed channel between the outlet and the collection chamber or the air displacement device. 
     
     
       28. The continuous granule collection system as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the coupler comprises one or more ducts to facilitate additional supply of air to the granules exiting the outlet. 
     
     
       29. The continuous granule collection system as claimed in  claim 28 , comprising:
 an air control unit in communication with the one or more ducts of the coupler, wherein the air control unit is configured to provide the additional supply of air to the coupler via the one or more ducts. 
 
     
     
       30. The continuous granule collection system as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein the air displacement device comprises:
 an exhaust configured to continuously displace air from the collection chamber to an outside environment. 
 
     
     
       31. The continuous granule collection system as claimed in  claim 30 , comprising:
 a filter provided between the collection chamber and the air displacement device, wherein the filter is configured to contain the granules in the collection chamber and allow only the air from the collection chamber to be displaced to the outside environment via the exhaust.